The Squires Kingly Secret
by flowerpower71
Summary: A collaboration between me and CartoonCaster21. Based off a role-play. Johan confronts the King about why he has yet to be knighted.


**Hey ya'll! How's it going?**

**Okay so anyway, a few weeks ago CC21 and I had gotten in a discussion about why Johan hasn't been knighted yet. We both have this theory about Johan and the King having a sort of father/son relationship as opposed to just the regular King/squire relationship. **

**So our theory is that the reason that Johan is not yet a knight is because, since the king considers him like a son then he's putting off knighting him for fear of Johan getting hurt in battle. This is our opinions and you don't have to agree if you don't.**

**Anyway getting back on topic, the two of us wrote out a scene/role-play thing and we decided to post it. This story is NOT connected in anyway to either of our stories. The only similarities that this story and ours have is that fact that Jo and Livy make a cameo at the end and that Jo and Johan are using the ruse that they are cousins like in CartoonCaster21's story "I Can't be Perfect."**

**And that's it. Johan and Peewit belongs to Peyo**

**Jo belongs to CartoonCaster21**

**Livy belongs to me.**

**Enjoy! :D**

Johan was a young squire...since he was eight years old. He was now in his late teens and still hadn't been knighted. This bothered the squire to no end. According to Sir Broadback and even those two-erm...well, mindless knights, Philip and Robert, they had been knighted by about fifteen or sixteen. Johan was well past those ages, heck he was going on twenty, and now was more than ever determined to become a knight. He believed he had the skills. He was daring, brave, bold and was well skilled in both archery and swordsmanship. Riding his horse was child's play and he had landed various culprits in prison. But apparently, that hadn't proven himself to the king for he was still a squire.

"_Maybe I should talk to the king about this?" _Johan thought to himself. He got up from his seat and left his room. He jumped on the stairway banister and slid down, jumping off about halfway and continued on to the throne room. He paused and took a deep breath before he pushed aside the heavy oak doors that lead to the throne room and entered.

"Sire may I have a word with you?" the black haired teen asked upon entering as he approached the elderly monarch sitting on the throne.

"Of coarse Johan my boy." The King chuckled good naturedly. "I always have time for you. What's on your mind?"

Johan tried to sort out what he as going to say in his mind. Once he reached the king he asked, "Sire, I am still a squire correct?"

The King's expression turned to one of confusion and he raised an eyebrow being taken back by the odd question. "Yes?"

"But I am very well past my training years. I am a late teen."

The King shifted around in his seat slightly. "What is this all about Johan?"

"Sire...why have I not been knighted like all the others? Why must I still be seen as a squire?"

The King seemed to stiffen at the question but tried to hide it.

"Because...Because you still haven't earned your spurs yet." He said sighing inwardly with relief. However the squire was bound and determined to get an answer and he wasn't going to leave until he got it.

"But Sire, I have fought off countless of knaves, rescued Princess Savina from Count Gregorian, saved the castle from being taken over by Paro and helped King Gerard defeat his evil Uncle Leopold. I have trained hard and studied harder for over ten years. I discovered the ex potion maker Clauderic was a traitor and defeated him when he hypnotized everyone in the castle with the black hellebore. I have proven myself time and time again and yet you still do not see me worthy of knighthood. Why? What more must I do?"

The King didn't know what to say. If he told Johan the flatout truth on why he was stalling the knighting, the squire-boy-may never talk to him again. What was he to do?

Johan waited, a look of determination on his face. The King could tell he wasn't going to leave without a logical answer. He devoted his life to being a knight. He wasn't going to take "Not now." for an answer. "Sire?"

The King bit his lip as he hurriedly wracked his brain for an answer. He finally sighed and looked at the young man with apologetic eyes.

"I'm sorry Johan but you just STILL haven't proven to me your ready to be knighted."

Now normally Johan was a peaceful fellow. Slow to anger unless someone he cared about was in danger, but upon hearing these words he felt the flare of anger well up inside him.

"Sire I don't understand," Johan said trying not to lose his temper. "I've proven myself that I'm dedicated to you and the kingdom! I've fought countless of battles and hundreds of villains have been thwarted by me! All of my other squire friend's have long since been knighted way before me. The latest one being eighteen. I'm nineteen! How much longer are you going to do this to me?! Why am I still a squire?!"

The King sighed. He couldn't think up any excuse for this and the truth was eating him now. Oh hy did Johan have to bring it up?

"I'm sorry Johan." the King began clutching the arms of his chair. "But...I can't knight you."

Johan stared blankly at the monarch. Did he hear correctly? Did he just say he CAN'T knight him?Before Johan could even ask him "why" the King continued obviously seeing the boy's confusion and demanding.

"I can't because...I don't ant you to become a knight."

Johan just continued to stare at the king blankly. His expression unreadable. It was so silent in the throne room for a few intense seconds you could hear a pin drop. Just as the King opened his mouth to speak again, all hell broke loose.

"YOU WHAT?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T WANT ME TO BECOME A KNIGHT?! I HAVE BEEN TRAINING TO BE ONE SINCE I WAS TEN YEARS OLD AND NOW YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO SAY THAT YOU WON'T KNIGHT ME BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT ME TO BE ONE?!"

The King raised his hands up slightly to calm down the hysterical teen. There were many reasons the King had never told Johan of this...the screaming being one of them.

"Calm down Johan-"

"I WILL NOT CALM DOWN!"

Normally the King would have chastised Johan for speaking to him in such a disrespectful manner but he understood that the boy was angery and so instead paused for a few minutes giving Johan the chance to calm down slightly before he continued. "You don't understand. The life of a knight is dangerous. You will just have to respect the descision, I, the King, YOUR king have made. Everything I do is to protect."

Johan by now was furious. Nothing the King could say would explain why he hadn't told the squire sooner. It was now unforgivable in Johan's eyes.

"Don't you think I already know how dangerous being a knight is?!" Johan snapped venomously. "I'm not a child! I know the responsibilities! I know the risks! I accept them! Why are you doing this to me?! Did I do something wrong?!"

"No Johan you did nothing wrong...but that's the problem." the King said looking around sadly. "I will not knight you. If something, anything were to happen to you, why, I'm not sure what I would do. I hope you can understand this descision."

"No I do not understand!" Johan snapped. "You have knighted plenty of other men before me without any hesistation! Why won't you do the same for me?!"

"BECAUSE I WON'T LOSE MY SON!"

Johan instantly fell silent, his jaw slightly agape. There was another intense silence until Johan found his voice again.

"Y-Your son?" Johan asked surprised by both the comment and the sudden anger the king had expressed.

The King tiredly walked over and collapsed back into his throne, holding his head wearily in his hand not replying.

"Your son?" Johan repeated highly confused. "What do you mean your son? You have no children."

"Technically no," the King replied peeking up at the raven haired squire through his fingers. He let out a sad sigh and rose again to his feet looking at the squire. It was then that Johan noticed just how old the monarch looked. His normally happy youthful eyes were now dull and held sadness showing his age.

"Johan when you first came to the castle you were so young, so frail, so helpless. Good lord you were practically dead from hypothermia." The King felt his eyes tear up as painful memories came flooding back to him, but he refused to let it show. After all, he was a king and kings had to be strong. "You arrived shortly after my dear wife died while giving birth to our son...I-I guess...I guess in a way, I was lonely after that and when you came along...I-I sorta considered you like the son I lost."

"M-Me?"

The King looked up slightly. "It's just, I never actually got to hold my son. But when you were found, I thought maybe it was a sign that I was meant to be a father. A sign from my wife and son. And so when we found out that you were an orphan, I took you under my wing and raised you as the son I never got to know. I guess...I guess when you found an interest in knights, well I got worried. I couldn't lose another son..."

Johan didn't know what to say. His sudden anger towards the king had vanished. He had all but forgotten about the late queen. He had never even seen the woman aside from a few portraits. He felt...He didn't know how to feel. He himself had never even known his known his father who had been murdered when the squire was a baby. In a way he realized that he himself sorta looked at the King as a sort of father figure...

"I'm sorry."

The King looked up surprised.

"I'm sorry for what I said." Johan apologized digging the toe of his boot in the tile floor. "To be honest Sire, I guess I never realized our bond. I mean I too have considered you like a father...especially since I lost both my parents and you took care of me. I suppose in my mind, I thought if I became a knight, I could not only stop evil but repay you for all you have done for me. You protected me, I thought I should return the favor."

The King began to feel himself grow warm on the inside. "You...You considered me like a father?"

Johan nodded sheepishly looking at the floor. The squire let out a gasp as he suddenly found himself pressed up against the King in a big hug.

"You don't need to repay me for anything." The King whispered as a tear escaped his eye. "It's what father's do."

Johan smiled and hugged the King back. Much like they did after saving the smurfs and the King from a dragon.

"You really would make a good knight Johan." the King said. "And any parent would be happy to see their child in such a high and respected state...I know I would...You deserve to be knighted."

Johan said nothing but smiled with tears of happiness in his eyes. The King suddenly left, much to the boys confusion, but the squire's eyes lit up when he saw the King return with a sword in his hand.

"Kneel." the King instructed.

Gladly, Johan did as he was told and dropped down to one knee and bowed his head. The King held out the sword and carefully and gently tapped the squire's shoulder's.

"I, the King, your king and my subjects, we are happy to announce out of your bravery in one way possible in no such higher honor. Young squire I hearby knight thee...Sir Johan the Kindhearted."

Johan looked up with the biggest smile plastered on his face. He was finally a knight. A knight! At long last his dream was finally a reality. He felt lighter than a feather and his heart swelled with joy. He looked up at the king and saw the monarch was looking at him like a proud father.

"I was right." The King grinned. "Any parent would be proud to see their child in such a high state."

That only made Johan smile more.

"Is Johan finally knighted?" a third voice asked. The monarch and former squire turned and looked towards the entrance to see a familiar blonde grinning cheekily towards the two, munching on a chicken leg. He stuffed thee remaining chicken in his pocket and bounced into the room.

"Congratulations Johan!" the jester said happily. "But kind of an odd knighting no?"

"What do you mean?" the King questioned.

"I saw Johan all fumed so I followed him to the throne room...coarse I didn't go in. That would have ruined the moment...The fatherly/son moment."

Johan and the King just stared at Peewit for a few moments before they both busted out laughing. Johan snatched up the younger boy in a headlock and then proceeded to give him a noogie.

"Well then I suppose that makes you the little brother." the King joked still laughing. Peewit just laughed at the joke and Johan's reaction.

"Okay! Okay! Okay! My hair doesn't need to get any messier!" the jester laughed.

Johan released his best friend and smirked at his nest like hair. Peewit looked up at the raven haired boy with a smug grin. "So your a knight now?"

"Yes." Johan answered proudly. Boy did it feel good to say that.

"Well then what does that make me? Am I really the sidekick now?" the blonde asked with a small smile barely visable.

"What do you mean now? You always were one."

The three males turned and saw a smirking Jo leaning against the doorway, a smirk on her lips and her arms crossed and an ecstatic looking Livy behind her.

"Johan your a knight!" Livy cheered as she ran into the room and into her beloved's arms. Johan chuckled as he grabbed her when she reached him and then spun her around.

"I'm so proud of you!" Livy gushed once Johan set her back on her feet and she trapped him in a hug.

"Thank you M'lady." Johan said as he gave his love a kiss.

"I've never seen you so happy gand-er uh, cuz! I mean cuz!" Jo backtracked remembering her and Johan's ruse about them being cousins when they're around others.

The King smiled to himself pleasingly at the four teens laughing and hugging and joking in front of him. What had he truly held back on? The elder had been so afraid of loosing his son-in-spirit that he had put aside Johan's own happiness and wishes. He supposed every parent got overprotective now and again, he was just glad he was able to make up for it.

**The**

**End**

**Well that's the end of this story. I hope you all enjoyed. This is just something that we wrote for fun and figured that you all would enjoy reading this as much as we enjoyed writing.**

**Don't forget to review and have a smurfy day! Bye bye!**


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